Automobile-body construction.



L. M." FULLER.

AUTOMOBILE BODY CONSTRUCTION.

APPLIGATION FILED SEPT. 12, 1910.

9@% %22D Patented @1124 1911.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LAWSON M. FULLER, OF MOLINE, ILLINOIS, ASSIG NOR TO VELIE IIIOTOR, VEHICLE COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OF MOLINE, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

AUTOMOBILE-BODY CONSTRUCTION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 24, 1911.

Application filed September 12, 1910. Serial No. 581,564.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I. lmwstm M. FULLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Moliue, in the county of Rock Island and State of Illinois. have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automobile- Body Construction; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilied in the art to which it appertainsto make and use the same.

My present invention relates to improve ments in automobile body construction, and it consists in combining with an automobile frame a pair of removable panels each containing a door adapted to close the sides'ot' the automobile in front of the front seat, or to leave the same open as may be desired.

My invention comprises a pair. of removable front panels, one for either side of the ear, and a shroud or connecting plate, connecting these two panels and with them making a complete and harmonious combination that may be pleasing to the eye and of utility as well.'

Recent automobile design includes as its most distinctive body feature an inelosed front. 'Ilhis'inelosure oi the space between the front seat and the dash-board is extremely desirable for tho inclement fall, winter and spring months on account oi cold, snow, wind, etc. The proximity of the motor with its burned and highly heated gases to the occupants (if the front seat renders this part of the car especially comfort able in the winter months when inclosed..

But due to this same proximity to the motor,

the inclosnre of the seats in the hot months of summer is cspccially undesirable.

My invention is applicable to any form of body, but for convenience in description, I will disclose it in connection with the toui' ing car type of body herein Shown;

Reference is bad to the .accom nrnying drawings, in" which the same parts are indicated by the. same letters and numerals throughout the several views.

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing one of the panels \vitlrthe connecting plate mounted on the car hody aud with the door closed. Fig. is a perspective view showing the panel and connecting plate removed. Fig. 3 is a detail showing the panel detached from the on r. Fig. l; is a detail showing the opposite side of the panel from that shown in Fig. 3, parts being broken away. Fig. 5, shows a section through Fig. 4: along the line 55 of said figure and looking down. Fig. 6, is a perspective View of theconnecting plate, and, Fig. 7, shows a section along the line 77 of Fig. 6. I

A represents the dashboard, B the car body, C the floor of the car body, and D represents the panel in which the door E is hinged. 1* represents the connecting plate which goesover the dashboard and connects the two panels together, and H represents the hood. The air body is provided with metal anchor plates 1), over which the panels are mounted and to which they are securedby means of bolts tln'ough the holes 1, 2 of, the plates and l, 2 of the panel, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. Bolt holes 3 and 4 are also provided in the car body front to register with the bolt holes 3 and 4 of the panel. The panel is provided with a flange (l, which passes in front of the dashboard,

leaving a groove (Z into which the dash boa rd projects. The major part of the panel is preferably made of metal reinforced with wood, as shown in Fig. 5, and flanged as at (Z in said figure.

l elt or other packingmaterial is placed bet ween the joints where necessary to avoid rattling or to prevent abrasion. ()n the inside of the panel, wooden strips d, d are preferably provided-for convenience in at taching the hinges, locks and upholstering thereto. a

Each panel is put in place and secured by bolts through the bolts holes 1, 2, 3 and t, and 1, 2, 2-5. and 4,-as already described. The dashboard projects into the groove d and is braced by the flange cl. The connecting plate F is then placed across the top'of the dashboard, with the dashboard projecting in rear of the llangcf and the flanges f projecting along the upper forward corner of the panel, as shown in Fig. 1. The curved said bolts.

in order to secure a neat effect, it is desirable to have the bolt heeds as much as possidnshboard,

ble concealed, or to use ornament-a1 bolt i vided with may be made of orfacing strips. and said dashboard, and a heads, and the plate F v mnnental design, as shown at f? in Fig. 6.

It will be obvious that various modifications might be made in the herein described dash-board and over the edges ofsaid panels apparatus and various changes inade in the combinations and arrangements of parts,

the spirit of my invention.

Vhat I claim and desire to secure by'Letters Patent of the United States is The combination with an automobile body provided with metallic facing strips and a which could be used without departing from n i I i l I v of a panel foreechside Iproflanges adapted to engage said connecting plate providedwith flanges adapted t'o'projectover the top edge of said and to lock thetwo panels-and the dashboard together; substantially a=i-dcs'cribed. In testimony whereof, I afiix iny signziture, in presence of two witnesses.

LAWSON M. FULLER. Witnesses: r Y

C. D. BRn'roN, R. I; STURM. 

